Beatles sell 2.25 million albums in 5 days

'It's only love...and that is all...'

somebodies been drinking the kool aid

You can take Elvis and Micheal and their alleged king of rock and king of pop and stuff it! The Beatles have always been the 4 KINGS of Rock n Roll and popular music from the get-go! Next is the Eagles,then Emerson Lake & Palmer

metallica has sold way more albums than the beatles.

metallica has sold way more albums than the beatles.

Yesterday... all the trolls seemed so far away... Now, it seems as if they're here to stay...

Tango jones...again we agree on something! Ah but music has a way of soothing the savage viner!

metallica has sold way more albums than the beatles.

BULL@!$%#, the Beatles have over 244 million CERTIFIED album sales. Can you give me CERTIFIED sales figures for Metallica that tops that, and we're talking RIAA certification here. Metallica wouldn't even be a band if not for the likes of The Beatles.

Tango jones...again we agree on something!

Crazy, ain't it?

Hey Dylan...you might wanna recheck your OVERinflated "guesstimate" of sales for the Beatles.....you're off by around 74 MILLION.

Hey Dylan...you might wanna recheck your OVERinflated "guesstimate" of sales for the Beatles.....you're off by around 74 MILLION.

Really Dave? I don't gustimate @!$%# pal. As follows:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists

http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt

The reason I said to show me RIAA figures for Metallica is because RIAA is an American certification organization and I knew the poster couldn't come up with figures like that for Metallica. The Wikipedia figures are based on an international organization called IFPI, and they always reflect figures higher than RIAA.

Regardless of the certifying organization, the bottom line is Metallica isn't even on the same planet as the Beatles where sales are concerned, hell in the RIAA they're not even in the top 10, landing in 18th place between Michael Jackson and Van Halen.

..the Beatles have over 244 million CERTIFIED album sales... and we're talking RIAA certification here.

RIAA certified sales = 170 million.

Your words. Your request.

And everyone knows Wiki is NOT a reliable ""Certified"" source.

So lose the attitude. I din't mention anything about Metallica. Only about your numbers. But I'm sure you caught that.....

So lose the attitude.

Bite my attitude davey boy, so I made an error in my post, MY BAD, pardon me I come into work at 3:45 in the morning and stay until after 6 sometimes, @!$%# happens kid, so big deal you're perfect...............NOT....................

And everyone knows Wiki is NOT a reliable ""Certified"" source.

Where did I say WIKI was a certified source? See the international certification organization I quoted, the IFPI? Guess you missed that part.

Thanks for your service to our country by the way......................

rock out with your kawk out

Okay...I'm going to tell you a secret about the Beatles.

Back in 1963, they did a five-song set live for Swedish radio. It's a great recording without all the screaming girls, just a polite audience invited for the event. It was first made available by the Internet Archive in a longer version, with about six minutes of commentary by a radio DJ in Texas.

I cut most of the commentary out, cleaned up the sound just a tiny bit, and made it into a downloadable podcast.

It's in public domain, (thoroughly checked via the Internet Archive and other sources) and probably the highest-quality live recording of the Fab Four ever done up to that point.

Songs:

• I Saw Her Standing There
• From Me To You
• Money
• You've Really Got a Hold on Me
• Roll Over Beethoven

You can listen to and download (if you wish) on my podcast HERE.

Enjoy...and make sure you crank up those speakers loud. Sound quality is top notch. (insert evil laugh here)

Most excellent, R.B. Thanks.

Oh dear... next you'll tell us that you think Prince is underrated.

He's Great. The Beatles were not.

All good bands and musicians, if they seem overrated it is because they inspired so many people. Not you, obviously... but for many they did. Music is like a painting, either you get it or you don't.

I suppose you like Barny and Friends better?

Tom .... simply put ... you dont know what good music is ... The Beatles are so far ahead of everyone else, given their # of hits and Great songs and the time they did them in compared to anyone else ... People can name 100 beatle songs that are good ... nobody else comes close

Looking solely at their music, yes they're terribly overrated, but if you take the band as a whole, including the impact they had on music, then you'll you understand why they're so highly regarded. I also imagine that if you grew up when they came on the scene you'd never forget the impact it made on your life. If you didn't and you're going back and listening to the music and letting it stand on it's own in 2009 then yea, you're probably thinking WTH??

It's kinda like reading Shakespeare today. Yea it's bland and boring compared to most modern lit but it's importand because of the impact it's had throughout history.

And no, Led Zeppelin is not overrated. By and large their music still holds up today with young and old who truly appreciate rock music, whereas The Beatles ended up making some really awesome children's songs that are largely ignored by those between the ages of 6 and 60.

That is a bone head comment, Tom. I would say, if you can't say any thing nice don't say a thing at all about your own feelings.

Tom940030 says:

'He's Great. (Prince) The Beatles were not.'

Ha ha. According to the National Endowment for the Arts and the RIAA, the Beatles had the #28 and #30 greatest songs of the 20th century. (There is a lot of competition, including songs such as 'White Christmas' and 'Over the Rainbow'. There are few pop songs in the top 25.)

Those Beatle tunes were 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' (28) and Lennon's 'Imagine' (30). 'Yesterday' made #56.

Prince? He doesn't even make the list until number 95, and it was probably charity anyway.

The Beatles can lay legitimate claim to having changed popular music worldwide. There is pre-Beatles and post-Beatles.

All the other great talents, from Elvis to Jackson,.... Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Beck,....or even a super great like Stevie Wonder---> who 'changed the music' more over decades than Michael Jackson, have never approached the longevity of wide-spread influence of the Beatles.

I think this topic is like religion or politics....with everyone being a music critic. (including me).

There were folks I knew who liked pre-psychedelia Beatles and ones who only liked what came after. All of it influenced generations. Even if it was a somewhat calculating affair, intentionally drawing on varied musical influences in order to stay 'cutting edge', there was a magic to McCartney/Lennon that hasn't been replicated yet. The Beatles, although not "virtuosos" as such on instruments, were nevertheless a working gigging band who were musicians first. Many of today's genuine virtuosos (who have grown exponentially) have the chops and technical skills, but their music rings hollow for the soul.

I can't abide very long with today's 'musical braggadocio' which consists of showing off (throwing in a very occasional harmonic hook) one's technical skills. That's fine for the head but does nothing inside, which is where real music comes from and where it lands again.

all imho

Although they may not have been virtuosos, I have yet to hear better bass riffs or walk -downs than Paul McCartney's. He can work the scales like no one else.

I agree with the sentiment. McCartney's bass licks were the first ones I ever took notice of as a kid.

My pop-music references started in the early 60s, along with some 50s stuff. I first heard Beatles tunes before I Ever became aware of the 'Beatles phenom' on pop culture. It was like magic for me.

eric clapton noted george harrison as one of the greatest guitarists ever...technically near perfect...

Can we add Jeff Beck to the list of legendary axe men? And although she's but a CHILD, Tal Wilkenfield? (sp) is near virtuoso on electric bass. Check them out on Eric Clapton's ''crossroads" on UTube at youtube.com/watch?v=mIFFRHBCPzA. Her skills rival that of the late Jaco, but I don't think she's going down HIS sad path. Her ability is humbling indeed. As for Jeff - it's a gift, what else can you say? No amount of practice yields that.

One of the most over rated Band's ever. Led Zeplin is not far behind.

Over-rated according to whom, both those bands were pioneers.

Led Zeppelin's first 2 albums still surpass anything since, of 'like' genres, in my opinion (my preference}. Guys TRY to emulate the sheer primal nature of this work today, but generally fail because most of them are 'formula guys'. Led Zeppelin are the guys who broke the ground.

At the time, I laughed at bands like Black Sabbath and to a lesser extent Deep Purple. They were the imitators, or so I believed. (ongoing music controversy)

McCartney's bass licks were the first ones I ever took notice of as a kid.

Just listen to 'Penny Lane' for evidence of his brilliance.

And even after 40 yrs he can still come up with the hooks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVGk5qm6Mac

It's all personal preference, I get that. I just never liked Their music. I'm in the minority for sure but I know many who agree.

That's cool, Tom. Music is entirely subjective anyway. It moves you, or it doesn't.

It is all personal preference, of course. I am always curious, however, as to who some of the favorite bands are of those who dislike the Beatles. So, Tom, if I may ask...

Not liking their music is fine. It's a matter of personal taste. But their overall contribution to music is massive and revolutionary, and you should at least acknowledge that.

have to agree although I love the Beatles, not all do and thats ok,,,, took me until my 40's to really like the Beach Boys...

Oh boy, don't get me started on the Beach Boys. Yeah, it wasn't until I was in my 20's that I recognized the absolute genius of Brian Wilson. "Pet Sounds", it turns out, was the inspiration and impetus for "Sgt. Pepper"

Beach Boys? Sure, why not?

But of course they 'borrowed' the act from Jan and Dean...

I saw Deadman's Curve. It told everything. (laughs)

Some folks say Jan and Dean thought up the whole surf music thing up down in Pasadena.

I think some old lady with a GTO helped them along a bit. She was from Pasadena, too.

Brian Wilson though was/is a musical genius. That's just my opinion of course (as well as the opinion of many). But I remember his Pet Sounds, even in the midst of the smorgasbord of tunes coming out of everywhere from Britain to Motown at the time.This 'hard blues/rock'-'motown' fan was captivated by Pet Sounds like no other album back then.

From Wilson to Vanilla Fudge....a couple of my favorites from back then

What's the big deal with Pet Sounds or Sgt Peppers?

Abbey Road is THE great 1960s rock/pop album.

My mistake: In Jan and Dean's song The Little Old Lady from Pasadena, she drives a 'Super Stock Dodge,' not a GTO. :)

You were thinking of "Little GTO", also by Jan and Dean, I believe.

And wasn't one of them prophetically killed on "Dead Man's Curve"? Don't know if I'm recalling that correctly.

tangojones asks:

'And wasn't one of them prophetically killed on "Dead Man's Curve"? Don't know if I'm recalling that correctly.'

Jan Berry ran his car into the back of a parked truck in April of 1966 and suffered severe head injuries, from which he never fully recovered. It happened just a short distance from the actual 'Deadman's Curve' in Los Angeles, which was the subject of their hit song from TWO YEARS PREVIOUSLY. Then their record label dumped them since Jan could no longer perform.

Dean Torrence then formed 'Kittyhawk Graphics' and designed a bunch of record covers you have undoubtably seen before. He did Nillson, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and a bunch of others.

There are a LOT of Jan and Dean websites. This one is the REAL DEAL and tells their whole story. Believe it or not, music never was their full-time job, even at the height of their fame.

Dean Torrence also wrote the script for the TV movie about their career, 'Deadman's Curve'.

Jan Berry finally overcame his injuries enough to perform with Dean occasionally, although his right hand was useless and he had to really work to sing without slurring the words. Berry died in 2004 of a heart attack.

I think 'Little GTO' was done by the Daytonas...I think.

Thank you for indulging me, Tom ;)

ok, but you cant really say a band is "over rated" if its your personal taste.

Your right on that, My mistake. Ironically, I happen to like Paul Mcartney. My Wife and I saw his concert in Milw. Wi. It was very good.

It is a matter of personal taste in popular music, which is most likely generational in nature.

You know, that may or may not be true. But given what I'm seeing today, I think the Beatles have transcended the generational gap.

Dave-905627-

I do believe the dumbing down of America has reached a new level.

Unbelievable.

Sheesh. What it is recreational insult hour?

I guess the music you like is the best that ever was , and that makes you sooooo superior to the lowly Beatles fans, right?

Why come on here and insult those who enjoy a different type of music than you? Tom disagreed with the Beatles popularity, but didn't insult those who agree the Beatles were one of the best.

Grow up.

Jimster is so right. The reason the USA is going down the drain in education is because of the closed minds of so many people, and the failure of schools to teach that competent human beings can actually accept, appreciate or at least understand more than one viewpoint.

OY!

here's my point...

Amazon search -

Music ---> Beatles

Showing 1 - 12 of 3,861 Results

I stand by what I posted. People went out and bought 2.25 million copies of the same songs that have been on almost 4,000 OTHER ALBUMS.

OY!

I played my Beatles CDs to death. I actually need to update my own collection (especially considering they are not in iTunes). I suspect many people did the same thing and don't forget, of course, those newer fans of the Beatles. I don't think there are very many 62 year olds playing 'Beatles Rock Band.'

I stand by what I posted. People went out and bought 2.25 million copies of the same songs that have been on almost 4,000 OTHER ALBUMS

Dave...the word is "remastered"...you see our technology is a little different than when the boys first recorded. To hear the music at a higher definition is a very compelling reason for most fans to buy the new releases.

Back in the 1980's, I had purchased a number of remastered vinyl discs that I had already owned. There was a series called "Origninal Master Recording" from Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. Those recordings were significantly better than their ordinary counterparts.

CC -

Do the same search on Amazon -> Music -> Beatles

Damn near everything is {Remastered}.

It's not even a ""New and Improved""....it's just a ""remastered""...

If they actually released something NEW, well, then that would be different (and shocking, considering there are only two of them left)

Dave, The Beatles can't release anything new, 3/4 of them are dead, first Paul then John and then George.

I own all previous releases of The Beatles on CD from the late 80's, and I can tell you, at least from the re-mastered White Album and Abbey Road, this re-release, if you will, sound much better than the initial releases. I'll be saving for the mono boxed set. Shyeah!

It's not even a ""New and Improved""....it's just a ""remastered""...

Remastered IS new and improved......................

Dave, The Beatles can't release anything new, 3/4 of them are dead, first Paul then John and then George

Paul is dead??

hahahahahah

Yes. If you listen closely to the fadeout in I AmThe Walrus, in reverse, you can hear someone (Ringo?) saying that Paul is dead. Warning: You must be tripping on acid blotter to hear that...

I wonder what SIR Paul McCartney thinks about being dead whilst he's still alive, hehehehehe.................

Dear Lord of all Pop, am I that old? That's a tidbit of Beatlemania back in the day when John off-handedly said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ and got crucified for it. This was around the time between Sgt. Pepper and the White Album when people were wondering when the lads were going to release a new album and the band was at each other's throats. Like most pop acts, every rumor took on the shine of truth.

Actually, its pretty hilarious when I think about it.

The thing about Paul being dead reminds me that when the Abbey Road album came out, with the cover showing the fab four crossing the street, Paul's feet were bare, and it was rumoured that it meant he was dead or about to die. I think that was the album where you played a track backwards it said so.

By the way, someone said something about not too many 62 year olds buying a Beatles album. I'm 72 years old and I think, as I have said in these posts, that I have always thought the Beatles were incredible. I, for one, intend to buy the album. I may be old, but my tastes in music aren't. I think Jimi Hendrix's electric guitar performance of The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock will never be matched, not by Santana, not by Clapton, nobody. To me, Leonard Cohen's poetry and music are quintessential. It has been said, although I cannot vouch for its truth, that Dylan has said that Cohen is the only musician that intimidates him. There are more. My son's best friend said he thought it was great that my son had a father who listened to Led Zeppelin. I was just starting to enjoy listening to The Travelling Wilburys, when unfortunately Roy Orbison died. It's really sad when great talent dies young, like Lennon, Mozart, Hendrix, Joplin, and Jim Morrison. However, have I become brain dead because I'm not particular about punk and rap and hip hop? However, I do like to listen to Avril Lavigne (a really fresh sound, and she's Canadian like me). and I thought Green Day were pretty good. So don't be too critical, patronize an old man.

Good for you buzzy-boy. Your taste in music seems fine to me. Rap and Hip-Hop? I don't really regard that as music.

Here's a couple of sites I looked up that explore the clues to Paul's "death".

http://www.ispauldead.com/

http://www.turnmeondeadman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=9

Ah yes....the 'Paul is Dead' episode. Fans tried to find 'hidden meaning' in album covers. I bought it at the time, for a couple of weeks.

regarding Paul: I always put him up there with Lennon in song-writing talent. His tenure with Wings, his first solo album, and his love for performing, his emotional singing from the gut....he can still belt out 50s rocker tunes with the intensity of the originals, while not sounding dated.

I never really 'took sides' on the Beatles inner turmoil and conflicting egos.

You must be tripping on acid blotter to hear that...

Just an FYI, it was "blotter acid", not vice versa.

Not that I had personal experience or anything....

Sorry. Not that I had any experience either. Heh.

Of course! In the sixties and seventies NONE of us had any experience. Just like Clinton, sure, he puffed on weed. He just didn't INHALE it. By the way, I've got the Brooklyn Bridge for sale. Interested?

I may be wrong on this, But wasn't Pink Floyds "Dark side of the moon" on top? (Great by the way)

Dark Side topped the Billboard Album chart for the longest period of time, but it was not the best selling album of all time. Michael Jackson's Thriller was by a factor of two. Surprisingly, AC/DC's Back in Black is second.

If you look at an artist's entire catalog sales, The Beatles top that list followed by Elvis and Jackson.

She can only feed on one I think...Could be wrong though.....

Oooh, that was bad. Funny, but bad.

My theory for why some people do not appreciate the Beatles as much as most is because their music is omnipotent. Especially if you grew up during Beatle Mania then I could easily see how you would find their music eff-ed out. The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" is widely regarded as the greatest rock song of all time but that song is so eff-ed out I could go the rest of my life without hearing it again.

The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" is widely regarded as the greatest rock song of all time

Internet myth. The greatest rock song is the studio version of "Sympathy for the Devil" :-)

No discussion of the fab four's greatness can be had without a sweeping tip of the hat to Sir George Martin.

Agreed. He could possibly be considered the 'fifth Beatle'

Agreed. He could possibly be considered the 'fifth Beatle'

Billy Preston was the "FIFTH" Beatle, correct?

Nah, because you could say the same thing about Klaus Voorman or Clapton. He (Preston) was in town when they were rehearsing for the live rooftop concert. Martin was in on practically every studio recording session, and even played the haphsichord on John's "In My Life". Not even mentioning the weird stuff he had to do with the session tapes (on 3 track tape machines!) for Sgt. Pepper.

Magz,

Billy worked quite a bit with the Beatles as did george and others, but here's Paul's take on the Fifth Beatle:

In a 1997 BBC interview, Paul McCartney stated: "If anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Brian Epstein.^[1]

Well, Brian was a good publicist, but a lousy manager. He sold the Beatle songbook to Sir Lew Grade. Then Michael Jackson bought it off him! That bastard Lew didn't even think of selling it back to the band.

Yeah Magz, that was a pretty @!$%#ty deal, and Michael didn't score any points with Paul over that one either......................

I caught the tribute show for Sir(sic) Lew and John actually showed up with Plastic Ono (I think, though Yoko wasn't onstage). Get this, John sang a cover of "Ain't Gonna Be Your Fool (No More)". Precious.

If you grew up in the New York area and listened to WMCA (the good guys) then you'll recall that early morning DH Murray the 'K' aka Kaufman was also known as 'the Fifth Beatle'. It became a term bestowed on a few of the early Fab Four confidantes but didn't mean much.

There must be a hundred "fifth beatles"....

Add to those mentioned, the original bass player who died of a brain tumor in Germany and the original drummer, who still calls himself the 5th Beatle, even though he was replaced by Ringo.

the original bass player who died of a brain tumor in Germany

I think that was Klaus Voorman - and I believe he did the 'Revolver' album cover.

No it wasn't Klaus. He was still playing, with Clapton and Harrison and others, well into the seventies.

You're right about the album cover though. It's his work.

The guy I'm thinking of went to Germany with the band. He's in all the early photos. He met a girl and stayed in Germany when the rest of the band returned to England. That's when McCartney took over the bassist slot.

I'll remember his name sooner or later

Stuart Sutcliffe was the original bassist. McCartney and Lennon were rhythm guitarists. When Sutcliffe died of a cerebral hemorrhage, McCartney switched to bass and they became a quartet.

The original drummer was Pete Best. There are al sorts of stories why he was kicked out of the band. But, the most likely was that he just wasn't fitting in with the others.

Thanks, Jay. I couldn't for the life of me remember those two names.

Yep,that's it, Stu Sutcliffe. Thanks.

And oddly enough, Pete Best was the most popular of the group at the time. I think it was Epstein who wanted him out.

I think it was Epstein who wanted him out.

That may be part of it. I am guessing that it was just a number of things. I have read that Best was kind of a loner. Epstein may have thought that Best didn't fit the image that he wanted for The Beatles.

Nah, nah, nah, nah-nah-nah-nah, nah-nah-nah-nah, hey Jude!

Give Apple and its paranoia some credit. This is the first re-mastering of the Beatles catalog in nearly 20 years, at least on CD. Every other major band has released their catalog in every format from SACD, DVD to vinyl. Even Pearl Jam. Or Led Zep...

Hey mizimel, that's just SOP for the music business. Search the catalogues for Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix and stand in awe of how many recordings are available from these two.

Then remember that they actually recorded only three, (that's THREE) records each, before they died.

Music Biz Sharks will scoop up anything from the editing room floor and market it, just to keep the cash rolling in.

Re-mastering the original 2 or 4 track recordings for release is something different, though. I can understand that.

And the Who had, at times, the same flashes of brilliance as the Beatles. At least when Moon was still alive.

Wanna sell the vinyl? Top dollar on ebay...

Thanks for the interesting post. As an amateur musician I agree with you. Many greats came out of the sixties and seventies...and many of them broke the mold (Zep, Beach Boys, Spoonful etc.), but the Beatles impact was so huge that they set the pace for everything that followed.There was no segment of the musical world that was not influenced.

Brian had a thing for John? Get out!